Neuropathy is a common health problem that impacts millions of people around the world. It occurs when there’s damage to your nerves that can cause chronic pain, numbness, and even an inability to control or move your limbs. There are many causes and treatments for this issue, depending on what type impacts you. For example, vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain are available.
You might be surprised to learn that vitamins for neuropathy are even available. Now, it’s important to temper your expectations because even the best vitamins for nerve pain won’t completely manage the problem. Instead, they can support your recovery, minimize your pain, and help you feel healthier. Thankfully, there are multiple supplements for nerve health available on the market.
In this article, we’ll examine some of the best vitamins for neuropathy, examine what causes this problem, look at the various types that could impact you, and provide more information for your treatment. With our support, it should be easier for you to identify the best overall care options for your needs and to minimize potential long-term health complications that could affect you.
Understanding Neuropathy and Chronic Nerve Pain
Neuropathy is technically nerve damage outside the brain and spinal cord that can cause pain, numbness, lightheadedness, twitching, cramps, and even muscle weakness. A deeper understanding of this condition can help you when choosing vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain.
Neuropathy Types
Neuropathy comes in many types, and the best vitamins for nerve pain may vary depending on your issue. Furthermore, some vitamin deficiencies may even cause neuropathy, particularly if you’re very heavily malnourished. Let’s break down these types to give you more context:
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy affects the nerves that control your limbs’ movement and sensation — it often feels like a “stocking-glove” and can be caused by many issues.
- Autonomic Neuropathy: Autonomic neuropathy impacts the involuntary nerves in the organs of your body, including your intestines, heart, kidney, liver, and much more.
- Proximal Neuropathy: Proximal neuropathy is rare but can impact your upper arm, shoulder, and thighs. It is often asymmetrical and can even be debilitating or paralytic.
- Focal Neuropathy: Focal neuropathy is more common and includes conditions like ulnar neuropathy, Bell’s palsy, or carpal tunnel syndrome, and is usually easier to manage.
Symptoms and Causes of Neuropathy
When choosing vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain, it’s important to understand how vitamins for neuropathy can help manage the symptoms and causes of this issue. Common symptoms include:
- Numbness (temporary or permanent)
- Pain in the affected area
- Muscle wasting or weakness
- Paralysis in the affected area
- Problems peeing or with sex
- Increased touch sensitivity
- Tingling, burning, or prickling
The best vitamins for nerve pain include supplements for nerve health that can manage a myriad of different health conditions, including:
- Devastating diabetes
- Alcoholism
- Cancer
- HIV
- AIDS
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Too many nutrients
- Food toxins
Role of Vitamins in Nerve Health
When picking vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain, it’s important to identify the best vitamins for nerve pain and nerve health. These include an array of vitamin B options (we’ll discuss them in more depth later), as well as many others. These include:
- Vitamin B Complex: You should have at least 2.4 milligrams of vitamin B12 every day for neuropathy, as well as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, and B9 for nerve health.
- Vitamin C: Among the best vitamins for neuropathy, vitamin C is one of the best options and can minimize potential pain and improve your overall nerve quality.
- Heavy Metals: Minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc all play a heavy role in your nerve health, though you need to avoid excessive levels to minimize your neuropathic risk.
- Acetyl-l-Carnitine: This rarely discussed supplement can provide some benefits for nerve pain, particularly in people who may have diabetes.
- Other Vitamins: Nutrients like alpha-lipoic acid, calcium, glutamine, glutathione, vitamin E, and n-acetyl cysteine can all help with neuropathy and nerve pain.
Vitamin Deficiencies and Neuropathy
When picking the vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain, it’s important to know how deficiencies impact your health. Most of the time, supplements and vitamins for neuropathy look to replace your deficiencies, which for most people center on B complexes and many heavy metals.
Furthermore, the best vitamins for nerve pain can help improve other areas of your physical and mental health. For example, many supplements for nerve health contain vitamin D to boost your levels and improve your energy. Talk with your doctor about this option to learn more.
Effective Vitamins for Neuropathy Relief
Vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain can support your overall health, minimize your suffering, and get your nerves working smoothly again. Though we already discussed the vitamins for neuropathy in this section previously, we’re going to highlight them in more depth here. When choosing supplements to manage your nerve pain, make sure you integrate these into your plan.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is one of the best vitamins for nerve pain and is commonly found in most supplements for nerve health. It helps improve nerve operation and keeps your energy flow running smoothly and efficiently. It’s particularly beneficial for peripheral neuropathic pain, though it also supports general nerve health and can mitigate neuropathy throughout your limbs and even your shoulders.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is one of the easiest-to-find B vitamins and is found in bananas, poultry, fish, and even potatoes. It’s also particularly important for nerve health and focuses heavily on brain health as well. People who start feeling “mentally foggy” might be low on vitamin B6. Furthermore, deficiencies can cause this problem and trigger long-term neuropathy and nerve pain that could affect you.
Vitamin D
Most people suffer from vitamin D deficiencies due to rarely getting outside and getting the sun necessary to produce it. Unfortunately, this problem can also cause long-term neuropathic problems, especially when connected to diabetes. Thankfully, high supplements of this vitamin can improve your nerve health and improve your overall health in many ways.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant that helps manage nerve pain by supporting its overall health. It’s very commonly used with people who have diabetes because it can help minimize potential complications and avoid issues. Furthermore, it can also help eliminate oxidants in the body that can worsen neuropathy and cause even more pain. That makes it an essential nutrient for your health.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Acetyl-l-carnitine is a powerful but rarely discussed nutrient that helps ease tissue-damaging processes caused by oxidative stress. Furthermore, it’s essential for nerve health and can help restore some nerve cells. When used with people who have neuropathy, it can help mitigate potential painful symptoms and ensure that you don’t experience severe nerve pain in your life.
Dosage and Supplement Recommendations
When choosing vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain, it’s important to know how many of the vitamins for neuropathy you need. The best vitamins for nerve pain and supplements for nerve health use a balanced dosage to keep you safe, including:
- B Complexes: Take no more than 200 milligrams a day (particularly B6) to ensure that you get a healthy level.
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Try to take between 600-1,200 milligrams every day to support your nerve health and mitigate neuropathy.
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine: It’s a good idea to take this supplement in two 500-milligram doses every day, split by several hours.
- N-Acetyl Cysteine: Though we haven’t mentioned this supplement so far, it’s good to get a full 1,200 milligrams a day to stay safe.
- Fish Oil: As one of the most important fatty acids, fish oil can help with some neuropathy and can be taken between 2,400 to 5,400 milligrams a day.
If you’re interested in supplements for nerve health, there are many on the market that may work well for you. The following options are all highly reviewed by supplement specialists and provide a strong blend of various minerals and vitamins that may help your neuropathy:
- Nerve Renew
- Neve Control 911
- Nervexol
- Nervestra
- Nerve Shield Plus
- Nerve Pain Away
Incorporating Vitamins Into Daily Regimens
Choosing the best vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain is only half of the battle. You also need to take vitamins for neuropathy regularly and integrate them into your life. Thankfully, getting the best vitamins for nerve pain into your life isn’t challenging if you follow these steps:
- Take At the Right Time: Fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D should be taken with food (especially with healthy fats), while water-soluble foods can be taken whenever.
- Add to Your Medicine Regimen: If you already take regular medicines, add your supplements to your pill collectors to ensure you take them.
- Stay Consistent: Even missing a day of your supplements can impact your recovery, so make sure you stay consistent — place your vitamins close to where you spend most of your time.
- Gauge Your Progress: Make sure that you carefully monitor your dosage and adjust it as needed, adding more to your diet if you think you need it for your neuropathy.
- Talk With Your Doctor: As you take your supplements, talk with your doctor to gauge your neuropathy treatment progress to ensure that you’re recovering effectively.
- Don’t Neglect Food-Based Nutrients: The best foods for neuropathy include many of the nutrients you get from supplements for nerve health, so don’t neglect to add them to your diet.
Potential Risks and Considerations
When taking vitamins to treat neuropathy and chronic nerve pain, it’s critical to not only take supplements for nerve health but also to make sure you choose the best vitamins for nerve pain and understand potential risks and concerns. Here are a few things to keep in mind here:
- Expecting Too Much: It’s important to understand that taking some supplements won’t immediately improve your neuropathy. It will have benefits, but they’ll be subtle and supportive.
- Overdosing on Nutrients: It’s impossible to take too many vitamins and minerals, so make sure you talk with your doctor to get a blood test before buying any vitamins.
- Potential Side Effects: Though rare, taking supplements may cause some side effects, so make sure you pay close attention to how they may impact your health.
- Risk of Missing Medical Treatment: Please continue getting your standard neuropathy care while taking supplements — they’re supplemental, as their name suggests, not a sole therapy.
- Not Talking With Your Doctor: Never change your dietary regimen without talking to your doctor, even when taking new supplements for neuropathy.